Hong Kong E-Prix: FIA strips Sam Bird of Formula E victory after Andre Lotterer nudge; Edoardo Mortara wins
- Andre Lotterer suffers tyre puncture and loses lead after hit from Sam Bird with just over a lap to go
- Lengthy review by stewards gives Edoardo Mortara the win after seething Techeetah driver says ‘I hope he doesn’t get away with it’
Sam Bird was sensationally stripped of his Hong Kong E-Prix victory more than four hours after a dramatic finish to the race on Central Harbourfront.
The DS Virgin driver had snatched victory at the death in controversial circumstances after nudging race leader Andre Lotterer on the penultimate lap on Sunday afternoon.
FIA stewards eventually dealt him a five-second penalty which dropped him to sixth place. The new result remains provisional pending further discussions, though Bird is still the new championship leader by one point.
Techeetah’s Lotterer had been holding Bird off for much of the race, but the late coming together at Hong Kong Station eventually caused a tyre puncture for the German. Bird pounced for what he thought was a second straight victory on Central Harbourfront.
Edoardo Mortara is promoted to first place, giving Formula E its fifth different race winner from five races in season five. Audi ABT Schaffler’s Lucas Di Grassi moves up to second, with Bird’s Virgin teammate Robin Frijns promoted to third.
It is the second straight year the Hong Kong E-Prix winner has been stripped of victory, after Daniel Abt was forced to give back the trophy following a technical issue in season four’s opening double header, the first race of which Bird won in December 2017.